VF Holden Commodore Issues and Faults

[wetwork65]

My Calais V from new was all over the place. Many wheel alignments which did improve it but wasn't as good as the VE. My redline was good at the start but the dealer decided to do an alignment. I have had it adjusted since but it does wander a bit. The other car (Director) seems much better.

Every time a dealer says "do you want an alignment" I say no. From experience they make the car drive worse since they use some guy up the road who is cheapest. Yes go to a specialist.

 

[SCR77]

Every time a dealer says "do you want an alignment" I say no. From experience they make the car drive worse since they use some guy up the road who is cheapest. Yes go to a specialist.

So, how do I know who is good and who is cheap & nasty? Do I just try a few until I notice an improvement?

 

[VS 5.0]

So, how do I know who is good and who is cheap & nasty? Do I just try a few until I notice an improvement?

Online reviews is a good place to start.

 

[LS1SS]

Does any one know the wheel alignment specs for Redlines from the factory?

 

[IMMX5]

Hi team. I’m a new owner of a August 2017 VF SV6. Very happy with the car except, the way it steers. At 100kms/hr it follows every road bump and road camber. I’m not confident to drive with one hand, even on a dual lane freeway. It’s not a pleasure to drive at all. I traded in a VZ with 180,000 Kms and it was much nicer to drive.

Is this a VF characteristic, because of the electronic steering or is something wrong? It has done 28,000kms, has the original tyres and had a wheel alightment when I collected it from the dealer.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

First step is a making sure the tyres are in good condition and with correct tyre pressures followed by a good wheel alignment (as all have commented).

I use the local Jax as I've found them trustworthy on all my vehicles... For my one car (an MX-5) I give them a spec and the franchise owner normally does the alignment for me.

I too now own a 2017 build SV6 Sportwagon purchased last year in August 2018 with 126 km on the clock. I had a wheel alignment done just after I took ownership as it was pulling to the left slightly. The WA was to a standard spec - and subsequently is as steady as one would want. I could share the spec if you like?

I traded in a very trustworthy 2002 Berlina wagon with ~205000km for this and unfortunately I'm somewhat disappointed with the SV6.
The following are my issues:
- poor Air Conditioning - does not get cold (enough!) even on LO and then fluctuates sometimes even up to 19C measured in the central vent. Originally I was told it's 'normal' when compared to a similar higher mileage sedan. Took it back a while later and the tech spent the best part of the morning on it with similar response (but the dealer's equipment wasn't all functional!). Early January this year I got a call that they have received a new compressor and a TX valve. Slight improvement but temperature still fluctuating. Car was booked in yesterday for 3 days for them to continue troubleshooting. I was informed the sunload sensor needs to be replaced as it is fluctuating. Should get the car back tomorrow - hopefully resolved (I'm not holding my breath!). Anyone else have similar problems with the A/C??
- clunk from drive train when changing drive from forward to reverse and vice-versa. They claimed it was 'normal' when compared to another car! Hopefully also resolved during this visit (???)
- drivers seat does not offer suitable thigh support - terrible seats! (Maybe one day I'll see if Clubsport seats would fit - must be a few spare sets around)
- variable throttle response when (gently) pulling off - as well as poor kickdown response. Thinking of adding a throttle controller to change the throttle 'gain'/response curve...
- hate the camera/school alert beep - far too loud
- ridiculous that one has to continually save/delete breadcrumbs on the Nav system.
I miss the far better load carrying capability of the old VXII wagon!

Anyway - look forward to seeing if the A/C is sorted tomorrow - wonder if I will have a problem with the heating in winter???

 

[SCR77]

First step is a making sure the tyres are in good condition and with correct tyre pressures followed by a good wheel alignment (as all have commented).

I use the local Jax as I've found them trustworthy on all my vehicles... For my one car (an MX-5) I give them a spec and the franchise owner normally does the alignment for me.

I too now own a 2017 build SV6 Sportwagon purchased last year in August 2018 with 126 km on the clock. I had a wheel alignment done just after I took ownership as it was pulling to the left slightly. The WA was to a standard spec - and subsequently is as steady as one would want. I could share the spec if you like?

I traded in a very trustworthy 2002 Berlina wagon with ~205000km for this and unfortunately I'm somewhat disappointed with the SV6.
The following are my issues:
- poor Air Conditioning - does not get cold (enough!) even on LO and then fluctuates sometimes even up to 19C measured in the central vent. Originally I was told it's 'normal' when compared to a similar higher mileage sedan. Took it back a while later and the tech spent the best part of the morning on it with similar response (but the dealer's equipment wasn't all functional!). Early January this year I got a call that they have received a new compressor and a TX valve. Slight improvement but temperature still fluctuating. Car was booked in yesterday for 3 days for them to continue troubleshooting. I was informed the sunload sensor needs to be replaced as it is fluctuating. Should get the car back tomorrow - hopefully resolved (I'm not holding my breath!). Anyone else have similar problems with the A/C??
- clunk from drive train when changing drive from forward to reverse and vice-versa. They claimed it was 'normal' when compared to another car! Hopefully also resolved during this visit (???)
- drivers seat does not offer suitable thigh support - terrible seats! (Maybe one day I'll see if Clubsport seats would fit - must be a few spare sets around)
- variable throttle response when (gently) pulling off - as well as poor kickdown response. Thinking of adding a throttle controller to change the throttle 'gain'/response curve...
- hate the camera/school alert beep - far too loud
- ridiculous that one has to continually save/delete breadcrumbs on the Nav system.
I miss the far better load carrying capability of the old VXII wagon!

Anyway - look forward to seeing if the A/C is sorted tomorrow - wonder if I will have a problem with the heating in winter???

Hi IMMX5. I would appreciate those wheel alignment specs, if you think they are the same for the sedan.

I agree with some of you observation/issues. The base of the seat is too narrow and very uncomfortable after an hour of driving. Who ever designed it, never sat in it for a few hours. VZ Berlina seats were a dream in comparison!

I too have noticed the throttle acceleration issue at low speed. I even checked that the floormat wasn’t stuck under the throttle!

And the sat nav doesn’t seem to be very up to date.

 

[Dirty Harry]

Hi IMMX5. I would appreciate those wheel alignment specs, if you think they are the same for the sedan.

I agree with some of you observation/issues. The base of the seat is too narrow and very uncomfortable after an hour of driving. Who ever designed it, never sat in it for a few hours. VZ Berlina seats were a dream in comparison!

I too have noticed the throttle acceleration issue at low speed. I even checked that the floormat wasn’t stuck under the throttle!

And the sat nav doesn’t seem to be very up to date.

I think the seats are luxury compared to the ZB I sat in so the VZ seats must have been awesome.

 

[3rspecB]

Does any one know the wheel alignment specs for Redlines from the factory?

This applies to FE1, FE2, FE3 (Calais, SV6, SS, SSv, Redline and Limited Editions.

Caster = 6° +- 1.25°
Front Camber = -0.30° +- 0.33°
Front Toe In Per Wheel = +0.08° +- 0.08°
Front Toe In Total = +0.17° +- 0.17°

Rear Camber = -0.70° +- 0.45°
Rear Toe In Per Wheel = +0.10° +- 0.1°
Rear Toe In Total = +0.20° +- 0.2°

There is also a FE3 Performance alignment setting for FE3. This will dramatically increase the wear of your front tyres (inner). I'm using a modified version of this on my car as it suits how I want my Redline to steer.

 

[Smashfist]

This will dramatically increase the wear of your front tyres (inner).

Maybe. Plenty of places have a swing and a miss at alignments, and the biggest mistake they do is not reading the tyre wear and not asking their customers how they drive their car. If you've got a car chewing inners and nanna driving it you should set it up at the lowest end of camber and if you've got feathered outers and a set of p plates on it you want plenty of camber for better response and tyre wear.

The best example I use for people is that I had a little over a degree of neg on my Clubsport, it was wearing tyres nicely when I drove it and I was happy with the sharp turn in, but when it became my girlfriend's car it started wrecking inners because she doesn't hook corners quite like I do. I had it aligned back to about 0.6 neg on the front and now it's wearing nicely.

 

[IMMX5]

First step is a making sure the tyres are in good condition and with correct tyre pressures followed by a good wheel alignment (as all have commented).

I use the local Jax as I've found them trustworthy on all my vehicles... For my one car (an MX-5) I give them a spec and the franchise owner normally does the alignment for me.

I too now own a 2017 build SV6 Sportwagon purchased last year in August 2018 with 126 km on the clock. I had a wheel alignment done just after I took ownership as it was pulling to the left slightly. The WA was to a standard spec - and subsequently is as steady as one would want. I could share the spec if you like?

I traded in a very trustworthy 2002 Berlina wagon with ~205000km for this and unfortunately I'm somewhat disappointed with the SV6.
The following are my issues:
- poor Air Conditioning - does not get cold (enough!) even on LO and then fluctuates sometimes even up to 19C measured in the central vent. Originally I was told it's 'normal' when compared to a similar higher mileage sedan. Took it back a while later and the tech spent the best part of the morning on it with similar response (but the dealer's equipment wasn't all functional!). Early January this year I got a call that they have received a new compressor and a TX valve. Slight improvement but temperature still fluctuating. Car was booked in yesterday for 3 days for them to continue troubleshooting. I was informed the sunload sensor needs to be replaced as it is fluctuating. Should get the car back tomorrow - hopefully resolved (I'm not holding my breath!). Anyone else have similar problems with the A/C??
- clunk from drive train when changing drive from forward to reverse and vice-versa. They claimed it was 'normal' when compared to another car! Hopefully also resolved during this visit (???)
- drivers seat does not offer suitable thigh support - terrible seats! (Maybe one day I'll see if Clubsport seats would fit - must be a few spare sets around)
- variable throttle response when (gently) pulling off - as well as poor kickdown response. Thinking of adding a throttle controller to change the throttle 'gain'/response curve...
- hate the camera/school alert beep - far too loud
- ridiculous that one has to continually save/delete breadcrumbs on the Nav system.
I miss the far better load carrying capability of the old VXII wagon!

Anyway - look forward to seeing if the A/C is sorted tomorrow - wonder if I will have a problem with the heating in winter???

Sadly I am very disappointed - twofold!!

1 - In actual fact it is worse than before. Coming home with an ambient T of only 19C the vent temperature was ~11C with the "climate control" set to LO. If I set it to 18 the vent temperature crept up to 15+C. Prior to the 3 day stay at 18 I was getting a vent temperature around 8-9C. Today - at the end of a 10km trip with an ambient T of 18C and set on LO with fresh air and a fan speed of 3 (of 12) it got down to 7.1C. I would expect around 4C under these conditions (a back-to-back test with a Lexus a few weeks back with the Lexus setting on 22.5 I had a vent temperature stable around 3.3-5C with an average of 4.5C compared to the sportwagon with an average of 7.5C)

2 - the lack of data reflected by the workshop. All the tech sheet finally gave was "carried out sunload sensor replacement; monitored sensor data 'OK'; A/C cooling temp OK". Hardly reflecting taking the correct data from the scan tool, A/C pressure gauges, Vent Temp etc. to troubleshoot the issue correctly.

So - am I alone with the A/C not chilling the air - feedback from others please! Is the Dual-Zone Climate Control" system on the VFII absolute crap??